Supplies per group: 13 gumdrops (dots) 26 colored mini-marshmallows 60 toothpicks 1 sandwich baggie 45 white mini-marshmallows
Preparation: If you desire to eat the gumdrops and marshmallows after the lab, wash your hands before starting and place paper towels on your desktop to work on.
Procedure: Make three dimensionally correct models of the 13 possible VSEPR compound shapes. They are three dimensional, not flat. You will be required to memorize 3 for the test,
Linear, Trigonal Planar, & Tetrahedral. You will have to identify them from the molecule without the chart on the test. Linear has two bonds, Trigonal Planar has 3, and Tetrahedral has 4. These shapes also have no lone pairs of electrons.
A gumdrop represents the center atom (E). Toothpicks represent bonds (lines or triangles). Two colored mini-marshmallows next to each other represent a lone pair, and a single white mini-marshmallow represents an outside atom (X)
After all 13 models have been built or time runs out, Mr. Bair will require you to come to the front of the class and learn how to do 12-3.
Time Length:
- 20 minutes
Lab InstructionsVSEPR Modeling Lab
13 gumdrops (dots) 26 colored mini-marshmallows 60 toothpicks
1 sandwich baggie 45 white mini-marshmallows
Preparation:
If you desire to eat the gumdrops and marshmallows after the lab, wash your hands before starting and place paper towels on your desktop to work on.
Procedure:
Make three dimensionally correct models of the 13 possible VSEPR compound shapes. They are three dimensional, not flat. You will be required to memorize 3 for the test,
A gumdrop represents the center atom (E). Toothpicks represent bonds (lines or triangles). Two colored mini-marshmallows next to each other represent a lone pair, and a single white mini-marshmallow represents an outside atom (X)
After all 13 models have been built or time runs out, Mr. Bair will require you to come to the front of the class and learn how to do 12-3.